Machine for cutting staple fibers



y 1943- c. A. CAST'ELLAN 2,323,644

momma FOR cu'rTINe sum: mamas 111m April 30, 1942 a SheetsSheet 1 CHE'L H EHSTELLHN y 5 v c. A. CASTELLAN 2,323,644

MACHINE FOR CUTTING STAPLE FIBERS Filed April 50, 1942 s Shuts-Sheet 2 INVENLOR. EHFL F7. CHSTELLHN July 6, 1943. c. A. CASTELLAN 2,323,644

CHINE FOR CUTTING STAPLE FIBERS am April 50, 1942 s Sheets-Sheet s :r INVENTOR.

$2 5 v EHPL H CHTELLFIN 141mg.

Patented July 6, 1943 MACHINE FOR cu'r'rmc STAPLE FIBERS Carl A. Castellan. Wilmington, Del., assignor to American Viscose Corporation, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application April 30, 1942, Serial No. 441,117

13 Claims.

This invention relates to the production of staple fibers by cutting continuous filamentary material.

It is an object of the invention to provide a novel arrangement of apparatus for cutting staple fibers in which the clumps of staple fibers produced are -more advantageously adapted to subsequent manipulative processes so that such processes, for example opening and working into a sliver, may be satisfactorily performed with a considerable reduction in the amount of work necessary for their successful accomplishment. It is a further object of the invention to provide an apparatus capable of producing a plurality of batches of staple fibers, simultaneously by a single machine, the apparatue being such that the staple fibers in each batch may be either similar to or distinct from those in the other batches. Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the drawings and the description thereof hereinafter.

In the drawings, illustrative of the invention,

Figure} is a plan view of one embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the embodiment of Figure 1,

taken on the lines of VV of Figure 4,

Figure 6 is a plan view of a third embodiment of the invention,

Figure '7 is an elevational view of the embodiment of Figure 6,

Figure 8 is a front elevational view of a fourth embodiment of theinvention,

Figure 9 is a side elevation of the embodiment of Figure 8,

Figure 10 shows a modified form of cutter adapted to be used in the embodiment of Figures 8 and 9, I

Figures 11 to 16 inclusive illustrate some of the various types of staple fiber product that may be obtained with facility in accordance with the invention.

Figures 1 to 7 show the invention as applied to cutting devices of the type which involves the use of a rotary member which may develop centrifugal force to direct the filamentary bundle to the cutting elements. Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, the device comprises a disk 2 rotatively supported within suitable bearings -3 and 4 mounted on a suitable base 5. The shaft 8 of the disk is provided with a suitable pulley I by which it may be driven through a belt and a motor (not shown). The disk 2 is of a common construction and comprises an axial channel 8 into which the bundle of filamentary material to be cut is led, which channel communicates with a radial channel 9 from which filamentary material is expelled by the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the disk into the cutting elements and II. The centrifugal force may be supplemented or, if desired, rendered relatively insignificant by a blast of fluid, such as a jet of water or air, directed into the axial channel 8 to feed the filamentary material through the disk 2. The base of the machine is provided with two standards l2 and B for supporting cutting elements on opposite sides of therotating disk 2. While the device is provided with one form of cutting device at one side of the machine and another form at the opposite side of the machine, for certain purposes it is contemplated to provide substantially identical cutting means at the opposite sides of the rotating disk, The cutting element Ill is constituted of a knife ll whose cutting edge I5 is so shaped as to cooperatewith the contour of the periph-' eral surface of the rotating disk 2 adjacent the opening of the radial channel 9 therein toeffect cutting of the filamentary material. The cutting element II is shown as composed of a pair of rotating disks I6 and H, at least one of whose edges is sharpened to constitute a knife edge and whose edges overlap in the. fashion shown. These cutting disks Iii-and H are mounted on shafts [8 which are adapted to be rotated by suitable pulleys I 9 and belts 20 cooperating therewith. The oppositely positioned standards l2 and I3 support distinct ducts 2| and 22 respectively for the removal of the staple fiber cut at each cutting position. Each of these ducts lead to a distinct receptacle or fiber working machine and the discharge of the fiber product therethrough to the receptacle may be facilitated by suitable suction devices.

One or both of the standards, such ,as 3, is

preferably provided for adjustment such as 'by adisk transverse of the opening of the radial channel .9 therein cooperate with a corresponding number of indentations in the cutting edge ll of 'of selected lengths to the product the knife It thus producing a wavy cut in the staple fiber at one end thereof. Since the other end of each clump of staple, fiber is cut substan- 1 cutting elements disposed in the opposite relatially straight by the cutting device I, each s the arcuate slot 2! in the base 5 of the machine clump contains a mixture of fibers having various lengths and which are regularly or irregularly staggered at one end. These characteristics are of great value in-assisting the subsequent opening of the clump so that less work is necessaryin order to successfully prepare the product for subsequent splnning. Not only 'does the staggering reduce the amount of work necessary to open tion as shown in Figures 1 and 2 would have approximately the same average length, the standard It, may be shifted to any desired extent along to bbtain any desired difference in the average length of fiber in the two products. If desired, a plain cylindrical disk 2 without ridges" may be operated with two similar or different cutting ele- 1o ments disposed at irregular distances about the the staple fiber but it also efiects a certain amount of preliminary heterogeneous distribution of the various length fibers in the stapleproduct by producing them as a mixture from the very start.

The cross-sectional shape of the ridges 28 (and the complementary shape of the cutting knife .lll cooperating therewith) may be selected as desired to give any desired range in the staple fiber length within the individual clumps cut and to give any desired heterogeneous distribution of the various lengths within the clump. Thus, for example, the more or less sinusoidal wave shown in Figure 2 may be replaced with a more sharply zig-zag or serrated edge. The waves and serrations may have more or less amplitude and various "wavelengths" or pitch. The waves and/or periphery of the disk 2 so that staple fiber products diifering substantially only in their average length maybe obtained in thetwo'diiferent' receptacles. I 1

It is to be understood that although two cutting elements and II are shown disposed about the periphery of the rotary disk 2, a greater number of such cutting elements may be so dis- 1 posed and a corresponding number of discharge ductsandfiber receptacles may be employed. In such modifications, the cutting elements may be disposed at equal or unequal distances about the serrations may be regular or a distinctly irregular wave or serration may be employed While the wave in Figure 2 is superimposed upon a generallycylindricalperiphery of the disk, the disk periphery upon which the ridges are superimposed may be constituted by a frusto-conical surface or the spherical (or frusto-spherical") surface of a spherical segment.

It should be noted that the serrated out may or may not be symmetrical or balancing,\in the periphery of the disk and the several'cutting elements maybe substantially identical or distinct in character (as in Figures 1 and 2) depending'upon the character of products desired.

Figures 3 to 5 show a second embodiment of the invention employing a modified form of rotating disk 2 .cooperating with. a plurality of cut- 50 ting elements II and ii supported on standards throughout. 1

sense that it may or may not indent the fiber L opening 28 communicating with the transverse clump being cut at as many places and to the same extent as it-indents the end of the tow or sheet from which the clump is cut. That shown in Figure 2 is, not symmetrical in this sense. Hence, the clump ofstaplefiber obtained at the right side of the machine (as viewed in the drawings) is not identical to that obtained at theleit of the machine but is complementary to it. For

l2 -nd l2 corresponding to the arrangement of Figures 1 and 2.

In this embodiment, the disk 2 is formed with a transverse slot 21, rectangular in cross-section which converges to the center 'of the disk. Though shown extending entirely through the disk 2, the slot 21 may opento the disk periphery at only one oi its ends. The upper portion of the disk 2 is' provided with a circular disk 2 and is supported stationarily by means of a suitable bracket "secured to one of the stand- .,1 ards. This guide 29 is provided with an axial this reason, it is desirable to discharge the mate- I rial cut. by one of the cutting elements, such as ll, into one vessehsuch as by duct 2| and that obtained from the other of the cutting elements H, to a separate receptacle by duct 22. Assuming that, the shape of the ridges 28 and the knife edge I5 is so determined as to produce-a staple fiber mixture intering duct 2i which has a par- .ticular selected range of staple fiber lengths and thatthis range is inconsistent with the production of a staple fiber'mixti'ire of identical constitution entering duct 22 at the other side of the machine, it does not necessarily follow that the product entering duct 22 is to be considered a waste product or thatit is necessarily a second channel 2| therethrough and "its bottom surface is generally sloped. The sloped bottom surface is provided with an annular V-shaped groove 22 adapted to cooperate with an annular Vshaped so. projection 23 on an oscillating guide 34' mounted inthe transverse slot 21 fo rotation with the disk 2. In addition, the sloped bottom of the guide 2!.is provided with an annular gear rack 35 which extends downwardly therefrom into a groove 36 which extends annularly-in the oscillating guide 34 and inthe disk 2.. An internal sleeve 31 fits rotatably within the oscillating guide member 34 and has an internal longitudinal channel 22 coextensive with an internal channel 32 of the oscillating guide member 24 whichy communicates with' the channel .2! in the thread grade product. It may constitute a valuable mixture for the production of yarn; by spinning in accordance with a system distinct'from that employed with they product entering diict2l. If necessary in certaincases, it may be advantageous to add a certain proportion of staple fibers obtainedfrom duct 22 to make it substantially equivalent to the product obtained from duct 21 01 the machine or to make it a distinct product peculiarly adapted for the manufacture of yarn by a different spinning system.

Whereas the two' guide 22. The oscillating guide member "is pno-' vided with a slot 40 withinwhich a ring Bear ll may be received for rotation with the sleeve g 21. The ring gear ll'issecured to the sleeve 31,

such as by threading, and is operated by the rack 35 on the fixed guide member 29.

' The disk 2 presents two cutting surfaces II and 42. These surfaces may correspond ingeneral to two coneshaving apices at opposite sides of the disk. -The cutting surface of the disk 2 is shown to be plain about the upper periphery and is adapted to cooperate with a straight-edged knife 43 at the right of the machine from which products obtained wi h the 76 e p e fi er is discharged into the duct 2| and cutting devices.

Y Figures 8 and 9 show a different type of staple a suitable receptacle. The lower cutting surface 42 of the disk, 2 may be provided with ridges 44 filamentary bundle by virtue of the rotation of the radially extending portion of the filamentary bundle with respect to the axially extending portion of the filamentary bundle being fed to the disk. If desired, different ratios may be employed to give any desired twisting of the filamentary bundle. In addition, it is within. the scope of the invention to omit the rack on the stationary guide member and to substitute a plain oscillating guide member 34 without the rotating inner sleeve 3'|.

The device of Figures 3 to 5, like that of the previous embodiment; may be modified to cooperate with any number of cutting elements which may be spaced at different distances apart as well as equal distances apart about the periphery of the rotating disk 2. In, such modifications, the periphery of the disk 2 may be divided into a correspondingly greater number of cutting surfaces to cooperate'with the increased number of The cutting surfaces about the periphery of the disk need not be symmetrically disposed with respect thereto, especially when the cutting elements are distributed at unequal distances about the periphery of the disk 2,

Figures 6 and '7 show a third embodiment of the invention in which the disk 2 provided with the axial feeding channel 8 communicating with the radial channe1'9 has the portion of its periphery corresponding to the width of the radial channel 9 extending. transverse thereof divided into a plurality of cutting surfaces 4| and 42 of any desired shape. As shown, the upper cutting surface 4| is a straight line at right angles to the radial channel 9 and the lower cutting surface 42 is a convex curve to give avariable length staple fiber mixture. A plurality of standards l2 and I3 support a corresponding number of cutting elements l0 and II, as in the preceding embodiments, at equal or unequal distances apart about the periphery of the disk. The standards I2 and I3 also support the discharge ducts ,2i and 22 for delivering the staple fibers cut at each cutting device to separate receptacles and, in addition, they support, preferably pivotally as shown, deflecting members 46 and 41 which extend about a portionof the disk periphery closely conforming thereto andserving to force the staple fiber bundle extending from the disk 2 one way or fiber cutting apparatus modified in accordance with the invention. In this embodiment, a sheath of continuous filamentary material in which the filaments are substantially parallel are fed over a roll 50 by means of a pair of feeding rolls 5| driven suitably as by the motor, sprockets and chain, and the gears shown so that the heath proceeds downwardly into the path of a pair of rotating knives 52 and 53. These knives are supporte for rotation on vertical shafts into cutting opposition, such rotation being effected by a set of three gears 54, 55 and 56 in mesh, one of which may be driven by a suitable connection to a motor (not shown). Each rotating knife comprises a plurality of blades 51 so arranged as to effect successive cuttings at a different angle transverse of the sheath of filamentary'matethe other to be cut by one or the other'of the knives. The deflecting member 45 at the right of the machine serves to deflect the staple fiber bundle downwardly into the lower half of the channel so that it is cut by the knife 48 having a curved cutting edge. The deflector 41 at the, other side of the machine causes the staple fibers to ride upwardly into the path of the straightedged knife 49. To facilitatethe deflecting of the fiber bundle into one or the other portions of the radial channel 9, this radial channel may be formed (as shown) with a longer dimension in the direction of deflecting than that transverse of this direction.

stantially thesame in composition or,

rial. As shown in Figure 8, each knife has two blades extending iria parallel direction from opposite ends of its hub or shaft. Such knives cut the staple fiber sheath alternately in opposite angles thus producing a mixture of various lengths fibers. Two receptacles '58 and 59 are positioned underneath the cutting station, one

to each side thereof. A deflecting member 59 is pivoted along the line of division between the two receptacles, The deflecting member 60 is composed of three surfaces extending transverse of the device so that its cross-section in a plane at right angles thereto has the general shape of an inverted Y. The deflecting member 50 is rocked by a suitable link 5| attached eccentrically (through a crank disk 62) to a shaft 63 which is rotated by a gear 64 in mesh with the gear 55,

of the chain for driving the knives so that the deflecting member 60 directs the staple fibers of each alternate cut into a separate one of the two receptacles 58 and 59.

While the knives shown in this embodiment have straight cutting edges, one or both of them may be curved or serrated to provide any desired type of cut. In Figure 10, for example, there is shown a form of cutting device which may be substitute for that of Figures 8 and 9 in which each knife 65 has one blade as capable of cutting at right angles transverse of the filamentary sheath and another blade 51 having a knife edge shaped as a sweeping-curve capable of producing two staple fiber products each containing various length fibers therein.

The blades of the knives in the embodiments of Figures 8 to 10 may be arranged to form either equal or unequal dihedral angles about the axis of' the knife. If desired, the speed of feeding the filamentary'sheath may be varied to obtain different average lengths of fiber in the separate products.

Flguresll to 16 show illustrative systems of the cutting either of a sheath of filaments as in Figures 8 and 9 Or of a tow in Figures 1 tc-7; In Figure 11, the cuts are made by a straight blade at right angles with respect to the filamentary material in which the only difference between alternate cuts is in the average length. Figure 12 shows alternately cutting with straight blades at right angles and at a distinct inclination to right angles with respect to the filamentary material. In this example, each cutting contains staple fibers of. different lengths and the two products A and B may be made subby'adjustmg the time between cuts, the average length of fiber in one cut may be more or less than that in the other cut. Figure 13 is similar to Figure 12 4'. except that one of the cuts is made with a blade having a sweeping curve to give a staple fiber product having a predetermined mixture of staple fiber lengths. In this case it willbe noted that the fiber product A is distinct in character from that in product B and that either product may of said cutting devices.

be made with any desired average fiber length to adapt them to particular spinning systems. Figure 14 is similar to Figure 12 except that the cuts are made along wavy lines to produce staple fiber products having various lengths and to produce clumps having staggered contours at their, ends.- Figure 15 is similar to Figure 14 except that the alternate cuts made in this case along serrated lines are given opposite inclinations from a line at right angles to the filamentary bundle or sheath. Figure 16 is similar to Figure 14 with the exception that the wavy lines of cut are changed to serrated lines and the average length of product A is less than the average length of fiber in productB. I I

In the claims, the term alternate is intended to refer to one memberof a repetitive series of two or greater than two members. In addition, the expression filamentary material" is intended to refer to filaments per se or aggregates thereof, such as bundles, sheets, or tows thereof, and to exclude fabricated structures formed therefrom, suchas by felting, weaving, knitting, braiding and the like. 4 f

While preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed, it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is: t a

1. In cutting apparatus described, means for intermittently cutting a continuous filamentary material to discontinuous lengths and means for directing alternate cuts into separate discharge channels. i

2. In cutting apparatus described, means for repetitively cutting a continuous filamentary ma- 7. In cutting apparatus described, a rotatable member for feeding filamentary material outwardly therefrom, cutting devices disposed at a plurality of points about the rotatable member in the path of the filamentary material, at least one of said cutting devices being of such form as to impart-a predetermined cut of different outline than that produced by at least one other cutting device, and separate discharge channels associated with each of said cutting devices.

8. In cutting apparatus described, a rotatable member for feeding filamentary material outwardly therefrom, the periphery of said rotatable member having a predetermined shape at least adjacent the point of emergence of said filamentary material therefrom, a knife positioned adjacent the rotatable member and having a blade of a shape adapted to cooperate with said predetermined peripheral shape of said rotatable member to'cut the filamentary material, a second cutting device adjacent the periphery of the rotatable member and arranged to operate independently of said peripheral shape, and separate discharge channels associated with each of said cutting devices.

9. In cutting apparatus described, a rotatable member for feeding filamentary materialoutwardly therefrom, the periphery of said rotatable member having a predetermined shape at least adjacent the point of emergence of said filamentary material therefrom, a plurality of knives positioned about the rotatable member, each of said knives having a shape adapted to cooperate terial to form a plurality of series of discontinuous masses having different characteristics, and means for directing alternate masses having imilar characteristics into separate discharge channels.

3. In cutting. apparatus described, means for repetitively cutting a continuous filamentary material to form a plurality of series of discontinuous masses having diflerent average fiber lengths and means for directing alternate masses having similar characteristics into separate discharge channels. 4. In cutting apparatus described, means to repetitively cutting a continuous filamentary material to form a plurality of series of discontinu-- ous masses having different average fiber lengths, said masses containing fibers of various lengths, and means for directing alternate masses having similar characteristics into separate discharge channels.

5. In cutting apparatus described, a rotatable member for feeding filamentary material outwards therefrom, cutting devices disposed at a plurality of points about the rotatable member in with a substantially different portion of the predeterminedly shaped periphery of said rotatable member, means associated with each knife for directing the filamentary material entirely into that portion of the shaped periphery of said rotatable member with which the respective knife cooperates, and separate discharge channels associated with each of said knives.

'10. In cutting apparatus described, a rotatable member for feeding filamentary material outwardly therefrom, the periphery of said rotatable member having a predetermined shape at least adjacent the point of emergence of said filamentary material therefrom, a plurality of knives positioned about the rotatable member, each of said knives having a shape adapted to cooperate .with a substantially different portion of the predeterminedly shaped periphery of said rotatable member, stationary guides extending about the periphery of said rotatable member in advance of each of said knives and arranged to deflect the filamentary material into their respective knives, and separate discharge channels associated with each of said cutting devices.

11. In cutting apparatus described, a rotatable member for feeding filamentary material outwardly therefrom, the periphery of saidrotatable member having a predetermined shape at least adjacent the point of emergence of said fila-. mentary material, a stationary filamentary guide having an axial channel and a sloped bottom extending into said member, an oscillatory member arranged in a recess in said rotatable member having a longitudinal channel communicating with the axial channel of said guide and having a varying surface adapted to cooperate with the sloped portion of said guide, a plurality of knives positioned about the rotatable member, each of said knives having a shapeadapted to cooperate with a substantially dilierent portion of the predeterminedly shaped perlphery'ot said rotatable member, and separate discharge channels associated with each of said knives.

12. A staple fiber product comprising clumps of staple fibers, the ends of the fibers in each clump being arranged in a staggered line having a plurality of indentations whereby said product is adapted to be readily opened and subsequently l0 worked.

13. A stapleflber .product comprising clumps of fibers, said clumps containing a mixture of various lengths of fibers and having the ends oi!- the fibers therein arranged along a staggered line having a plurality of indentations whereby the H UCERTIFICAIE'OF CORRECTION. Patent. 9--' 3 ,6hh.- y 6, 19 m CARL A. GAB'IEILAN.

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